THE GREEN BULLETIN

GCESD Newsletter

THE GREEN BULLETIN

GCESD Newsletter

14th Issue. 18th September - 24th September 2016

"I don't want to protect the environment , I want to create a world where the environment needs no protection."

Climate Change

Paris Climate Deal Passes Milestone as 20 More Nations Sign On

UNITED NATIONS — More than 20 world leaders tendered legal documents on Wednesday, formally binding their governments to the Paris climate accord at a General Assembly ceremony here and all but ensuring that the agreement will go into force by the end of the year.The specifics of each country's plans , though,are voluntary . There are no sanctions for failing to control pollution or to put economic policies into practice or for submitting unambitious pledges. In total, 60 countries representing 48 percent of global planet-warming emissions have now legally bound themselves to the Paris accord. The deal goes into legal force when at least 55 countries representing 55 percent of global emissions sign on. At Wednesday’s ceremony, leaders of countries representing at least an additional 12 percent of global emissions pledged to submit their legal documents by the end of this year. If they follow through, the pact will take effect.

What once seemed impossible now appears inevitable,” said Ban ki Moon, the United Nations secretary general, who will step down from his position at the end of the year.

Dutch parliament votes to close down country's coal industry

The Dutch parliament has voted for a 55% cut in CO2 emissions by 2030, which would require the closure of all the country’s coal-fired power plants.The unexpected vote by 77 to 72 would bring the Netherlands clearly into line with theParis Agreement , with some of the most ambitious climate policies in Europe.It is not binding on the government, but the Liberal and Labour parties say they will now push for speedy implementation of the motion.Five Dutch coal-fired power stations were closed last year but the country still has another five plants in operation. Three of these came online in 2015, and have been blamed for a 5 percent rise last year.

Breakthrough as US and China agree to ratify Paris climate deal

The United States and China, the world’s biggest emitters of greenhouse gases, have announced they will formally ratify the Paris climate change agreement in a move campaigners immediately hailed as a significant advance in the battle against global warming. On the eve of the G20 summit in Hangzhou, US president, Barack Obama, confirmed the long-awaited move, the result of weeks of intense negotiations by Chinese and American officials.

White House puts real-time climate data online for city planners

A new website powered by the White House and partners, including Google and Microsoft, aims to pull real-time climate data from NASA satellites and other sources for planners preparing for the effects of climate change. It is the first partnership of its kind to gather in a single place climate projections and figures for decision-makers previously faced with a dearth of information, according to the World Resources Institute (WRI), one of the partners. The website, www.prepdata.org (PREPDATA), will process data from NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Department of Interior, among other sources.

Environment

Pesticide manufacturers' own tests reveal serious harm to honeybees

Unpublished field trials by pesticide manufacturers show their products cause serious harm to honeybees at high levels, leading to calls from senior scientists for the companies to end the secrecy which cloaks much of their research. The research, conducted by Syngenta and Bayer on their neonicotinoid insecticides, were submitted to the US Environmental Protection Agency and obtained by Greenpeace after a freedom of information request. Neonicotinoids are the world’s most widely used insecticides and there is clear scientific evidence that they harm bees at the levels found in fields, though only a little to date showing the pesticides harm the overall performance of colonies. Neonicotinoids were banned from use on flowering crops in the EU in 2013, despite UK opposition.

Canada will host World Environment Day in 2017

Canada demonstrated its commitment to environmental action as Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna, and UN Environment Chief, Erik Solheim, announced that Canada will host World Environment Day in 2017. The UN Environment-led global event, the single largest celebration of our environment each year, takes place on June 5 and is celebrated by thousands of communities worldwide. Canada will use World Environment Day to showcase to the world the beauty of its natural environment on land and water. Canada works with international partners, like UN Environment, to address environmental issues, including climate change at home and abroad.

International Criminal Court: Crimes Against the Environment Are Crimes Against Humanity

In an unprecedented move this week, the International Criminal Court (ICC) declared that it would start treating cases involving environmental destruction, misuse of land, and illegal dispossession of lands as crimes against humanity. The Hague-based court, established in 1998 by the Rome Statute, made the announcement in a policy document released last week by the ICC’s prosecutor.

The ICC has announced that it will begin treating crimes that result in the destruction of the environment as crimes against humanity. The first example of the change in policy will be seen in the ICC's decision on a case filed in 2014 against Cambodia for illegal land-grabbing practices.

Biodiversity

Wildlife trade summit is a 'do or die' moment for endangered animals

A global wildlife summit opening on Saturday is a “do or die” moment for endangered animals around the world, say conservationists, from iconic species such as elephants and lions to lesser known, but equally troubled, creatures such as devil rays and the psychedelic rock gecko.

The summit in Johannesburg brings together 181 nations to crack down on wildlife trafficking, currently a $20bn-a-year criminal enterprise, and to ensure the legal trade in food, skins, pets and traditional remedies does not threaten the survival of species. The member nations of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species(Cites) will vote on proposals to toughen or loosen trade bans and regulations for over 500 species.

India

Government to organise Swachh Bharat Week from Sep 25

As part of the Swachh Bharat Mission, the central government has decided to organise a week-long cleanliness drive across the country from September 25, said an official statement. The initiative named ‘Swachh Bharat Week’ is also being organised to celebrate the second anniversary of Swachh Bharat Mission which was launched on October 2, 2014. As part of the initiative, the Ministry of Urban Development and Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation will also organise a day-long India Sanitation Conference (INDOSAN-2016) on September 30 at Vigyan Bhavan.

BS-VI rollout from 2020, says govt overruling auto firms

In a move that could bring major relief from severe air pollution in cities and towns after 2020, the union ministry of road transport and highways has notified the implementation of BS VI emission standards. The notification came into effect on September 16, it states that it will apply to vehicles manufactured on or after April 1, 2020. Clean fuel along with better public transport infrastructure is being seen as major solutions to the air pollution crisis in India. The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) welcomed the move, it observed that the notification advances action against air pollution by several years as the initial plan was to adopt it only in 2024-25. India will skip BS V emission standards altogether and move directly to BS VI instead in 2020.

National Green Tribunal

NGT ban on non-forest activities at Mangalavanam

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has restrained the Southern Railway from carrying out any non-forest activities on its land adjoining the Mangalavanam bird sanctuary in the city, until further orders. The NGT directed the State government to file an affidavit explaining the steps taken by the government to declare the 2.7437 hectares of the sanctuary as Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA).The tribunal passed the order on a petition filed by the Lawyers Environmental Awareness Forum (LEAF) seeking to restrain the Railways from undertaking non-forest activities on its land near the bird sanctuar. It pointed out that the Railways was planning to carry out various development projects such as setting up a railway medical college, para medical College and suburban railway terminal at its property near the sanctuary.

GNLU NEWS

GCESD celebrates Ozone Day at GNLU,Screens Awarness Clips

GNLU Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development (GCESD) to mark the occasion of Ozone day on 16th September screens short clips to spread awarness about Ozone Depletion. Short clips were screened at all the lecture halls at the end of classes. This initiative of centre was appreciated by all the students.

September 16 was designated by the United Nations General Assembly as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer. This designation was made on December 19, 1994, in commemoration of the date, in 1987, on which nations signed the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.

Logo making Competition for GCESD announced.

The Centre is on a lookout for a logo, which is representative of its activities and mission to use for all its affiliations, communications and official associations. In lieu of the same, centre brings Logo Making Competition. The GNLU Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development has been directly involved with awareness and conservation activities for efficiently conserving our natural resources for a greener future. Centre invites the creative minds and fingers of GNLU to whip up their paints and brushes, and come up with an innovative logo for the Centre.

Last date of Submission: Friday, 7th October, 2016

Mode of Submission: Physical drawings/ Digital creations

Cash Prize to be won: Rs 3000/-

Environment calendar for the month of September 2016

The list of events following in the month of September is as follows: -